Another Life
by ToxThexMoonxAndxBack
Summary: (American Odyssey AU) Odelle is back in Algeria with Luc after running from the airport in Barcelona. How will she cope in the aftermath of what happened to her? What will her life be like as she adjusts to her new situation? How will her relationship with Luc alter as they deal with everything life throws at them?


An: I love American odyssey and I decided to write my idea on what happened after Odelle left Barcelona. It might not be exactly in line with what happen in the series so let's call this AU. It's my first time posting anything for this fandom so we'll see how this goes.

XxX

Odelle's eyes scanned the deck of the boat she was sat on. She didn't know how long she had been travelling, too long in her opinion. She closed her eyes as the fatigue that had been building up over the last few days. She was emotionally and physically exhausted. Everything had happened so fast yet the time seemed to be passing in slow motion...or everything was rushing past whilst she stood still. Nothing made sense.

Crew memebers walked past her without speaking, all of them strangers. Since she had left Barcelona she hadn't seen anybody she knew, anyone who made her feel safe. The only people she had spoken to were the people Luc had sent to collect her and bring her back to Algeria safely. She was tired of putting her life in the hands of strangers.

She wanted to see Luc, if for no other reason than seeing someone she could trust. She could talk to him, he may drive her insane but he was the only person she could talk to. In the last month he and Aslam had been the only friends she had had. How tragic, she thought, the only people I have left is a fourteen year old boy and a man I've nearly killed about eight times.

She ran her hand over her face, what would happen to her now?

"Ma'am."

She looked up to see one of the crew members she knew to be called Arron.

"Luc is coming to meet us in his boat and will take you back to shore with him. He'll be here soon, you sould get ready..."

'Erm...thanks..." Odelle said awkwardly and he walked away as she got to her feet. She picked her bag up off the floor and slung it over her shoulder. She lent agaisnt the side of the boast closing her eyes and breathing in the scent of the sea air. It reminded her of the night of the welcome party the villagers had thrown for Luc. She hadn't had many happy memories recently and that night had been the first time she had genuinely smiled in a long time.

She heard the sound of Luc's boat and on opening her eyes she saw him.

"You're ride ma'am." He chuckled seeing her, he was trying to make her smile and he had succeeded.

Arron opened the gate for her and Luc put his hand on her waist and helped her down into his boat.

"Tell your Captain thanks." Luc nodded to Arron.

"Anytime." Arron replied before blowing a whilst signalling to the captain that Odelle had be handed over safely.

Luc looked back to Odelle as the other boat disappeared into the distance. "Are you okay?" He asked and Odelle looked down and said nothing. "Stupid question, huh? Come here..." He moved closer to her wrapping his arms around her and instantly she hugged him back and burried her head in his chest. He comfortingly stroked her back holding her tighter, she had been through hell and although she seemed to be indestructible he knew the truth. No one was indestructible and Odelle needed someone.

"Let's go back, you look like you need a drink."

"Something like that." She laughed slightly grateful for his joking tone. "Where's Aslam?"

"Staying with some friends of mine, Carlos and Rhonda, good people. Thought he could do with a calm environment for a bit...and you don't not need to worry about him. He's safe and only a few houses away."

She rested her head on his chest. "Thank you..."

XxX

Odelle looked at her reflection in the mirror as she told in the bathroom, she barely even recognised the woman staring back at her. The woman in the reflection looked ill, like she'd not slept in a month. She almost laughed. She pretty much hadn't. It was weird to think how much she had changed in just four weeks or so. Her hair was now shorter, she was thinner, she was covered in scars and bruises. She couldn't sleep without nightmares haunting her and couldn't step outside without constantly looking over shoulder. The woman staring back at her in the mirror was not Odelle Ballard, she was a stranger.

Odelle took a deep breath before leaving the bathroom and going to find Luc.

XxX

Luc sat on the porch steps watching the sun set, he'd left Odelle alone for a while letting her settle and get herself together. Hearing the doors open behind him he looked over his shoulder to see her.

"Hey." He smiled as she sat down on the steps beside him. He handed her the beer bottle he had had waiting for her.

"Thanks..." She took it gratefully.

"Feeling any better?"

She looked at him. "Not really..."

"You want to talk about it?" He asked holding her gaze.

"There isn't much to say. Other than that you were right, I can never go back to the life I used to have. I shouldn't have even risked it, I should've stayed here with you where it was safe. If I hadn't made such a deal about leaving then no one would've even known I was still alive. Instead I've crushed my daughter's hopes of me ever coming home. I should've just let everyone get on with their lives and I would've been forgotten about..." She blinked hard as tears fromed in her eyes but it didn't help, they still rolled down her cheeks. "Now my family have to go through the same thing all over again and stand and watch as I'm painted as a traitor...it's all my fault..."

"Hey." He put his hand on her back. "It's not your fault. You didn't ask for this. You did what you thought was right. Problem is the government is corrupt, there's nothing you can do to change that, no matter how much you want to. Your family know you, your little girl knows you're not a traitor. Don't worry about her."

"I don't know what to do, Luc. I don't know who I am anymore. I'm not Odelle Ballard...I'm not Sergeant Odelle Ballard...I'm no one."

"You're Odelle. You're the woman who has saved Aslam life. The lives of so many others because of what you did. There are people who believe in you, people who will spread the word of you because to them you're a hero. You had to make a choice, your life or everyone else's, including your family's. You sacrificed yourself for your everyone else...does that sound like the work of a traitor?"

"I'm not a hero..."

"You were brave, a soldier. A good one. You stood your ground and fought. You didn't give up..."

"What have I got to fight for now?" She ran her hand over her face. "I don't have any distractions...no one is trying to kill me because they don't know where I am...I've actually got to deal with everything that's happened..."

"You will be fine, Odelle. I promise."

"Thanks..." She laughed slightly. "If someone had told me a month ago that this was how it would end I don't think I would've believed them. Me sitting here and you being the only person I've got left besides Aslam..."

He stroked her back gently. "Well I'm not going anywhere..." He looked out to the horizon then back at her. "You should get some sleep..."


End file.
